Tourism has been identified as a major avenue which would increase the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of Osun State if the potentials are properly harnessed.
Alliance for Democracy, AD, governorship candidate in the September 22 election, Architect Olugbenga Akintola through the Media Director of Atunse 2018, Mr Olaniyi Omotoso, said that once AD assumes office in November 2018, more tourist centres would be built and developed to be at par with Osun Osogbo Festival.
At the Festival which held in Osogbo last week, he said his government would provide employment for the youths in the state and provide social amenities for these tourism sites apart from developing more sites to generate more internal revenue for the State.
He said: “What I see is the State of tourist attractions where you see a lot of activities going on year in and out.
“Osun State is a blessed State especially in the area of Religious Tourism. Osun Osogbo Festival is highly regarded to the extent that UNESCO funds the event annually. This Festival is actually one of such numerous festivals in the state just as we have the Olojo festival in Ile Ife.
“Apart from these traditional religious festivals with huge tourism benefits for the State, we all would agree with me that Osun State is like a Jerusalem for Christians and non-Christian believers also.
“There abound several ‘Spiritual mountains’ in the state which many believe have the efficacy of answering prayers which millions visit every year for one spiritual purpose or the other. People come from within and outside the state, all over Nigeria and outside the country. People come from every other continent apart from Africa, Europe, America and even Asia to seek various solutions to their problems.
“Places Like Oke Erinmo in Erin Ijesha, Oke Baba Abiye in Ede, in fact Ikoyi near Ikire have several mountains that receive millions of visitors every year. These places as we talk do not have good roads and even electricity. What stops us from encouraging private investors from building properties which could accommodate visitors here and there? All we need to do is to provide social amenities in those areas and those places would develop faster than we could imagine.”
Nigerian Tribune
